A LARGE number of cats have gone missing in a small area of Rothley leading to concerns of suspicious behaviour in the village.

Sally Sturgess of Town Green Street lost her pet cat Poppy last September, and a second - Poppy’s son Alfie - went missing last month.

After asking around the area she discovered that at least nine pet moggies have vanished over the past few months - making her suspect foul play.

She said: “There’s been not a peep - all of my cats are microchipped but they’ve just vanished. I know about nine that have disappeared and they’re just the ones people have reported.

“I’ve spoken to the police and they’d already had a call about this happening but there’s nothing for them to go on.

“Everyone I’ve spoken to seems to think there’s something suspicious - there’s been too many for it to be a coincidence.

“I’m worried that something sinister is going on – I’ve heard of cats being taken for bait in dog fights in other areas, and stories of people poisoning cats, and really think cat owners should be warned.”

Resident Rob Flower, who has lost four cats - George, Peppa, Franki and Fifi - since last November, said: “Our two little boys are mortified. We’ve heard nothing about any of them whatsover.

“It seems to be on a weekly basis that posters are going up around Rothley for missing cats. It’s a bit of an epidemic.”